Packaging machine



June 29, 1954 M. J. KRATOVILLE 2,632,361

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 11, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR fiwwz Z' 16413001535 BY W,

AT TO RN EY J n 1954 I M. J. KRATOVILLE 2,632,361

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTOR NEY June 29, 1954 M, J KRATQVILLE 2,682,361

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 27254-2458 J/(mfawkfe BY W,

ATTORNEY June 29, .1954 M. J. KRATOVILLE 2,632,361

' PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1'7, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY as a; as w a; 759

June 29, 1954 M. J. KRATOVILLE 2,632,361

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q INVENTOR 5/ 5 gray 686M I K1 4501432? m5 8,5 wl

AT TO R N EY June 29, 1954 M. J. KRATOVILLE 2,682,361

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 1949 7 shee tg-sheet 7 ATTO RNEY I BY Patented June 29, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGING MACHINE Michael J. Kratoville, St. Louis, Mo.

Application January 17, 1949, Serial No. 71,360

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a packaging machine, and for illustration of the invention, a bottle packer is shown and described wherein bottle beverage is intermittently fed into the machine in grouped rows of six bottles each, from a conventional type of conveyor for depositing the bottles in four grouped rows into a package, carton or box, and the package when filled with a total of twentyfour bottles, being automatically discharged from the machine in readiness for inserting an empty package, carton or box into the machine for continuing packaging operations.

With the above in view, it is a primary object of the invention to utilize the moving force of the traveling bottle row of bottles on a conveyor to intermittently load grouped rows of bottles into the packaging machine, and to further intermittently move the assembled grouped bottle rows to positions ready for simultaneous deposit in the package or carton, by gravity actuated means.

Another object of the invention is to provide the machine with improved means for releasing the assembled grouped bottle rows to cause them to fall by gravity into the package or carton for simultaneously filling it, and whereby their falling Weight will discharge the filled or bottle loaded carton from the machine and simultaneously elevate the counterbalancing weight of the gravity actuating means of the machine.

A further object is to provide a machine which automatically packs bottles in cartons and the like, as the cartons are separately fed into the machine, without any outside power agency other than the traveling force on the bottles as they are conveyor fed into the machine, in combination with gravity actuated devices which comprise parts of the machine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangements of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit and intents of the invention.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of this improved packaging machine showing a portion of a bottle conveyor in connection therewith.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the bottle feeding side of the machine, taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the opposite side of Fig. 2 taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 1.

Figure l is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional elevation of a portion of Fig. 3, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, as relating to the bottle 2 row groups as they are fed into the machine for arranging them into packed rows in readiness for gravity deposit into a carton or box.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section taken approximately on the line t6 of Fig. 4 having an intermediate portion broken away.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken approximately on the line 'll of Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation of one of the trap-door releasing levers shown in Fig. 6, in a locked position.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a portion of the upper part of Fig. 3 relating to the mechanism for pushing the bottle row groups in packed rows into the bottle loading compartment. Fig. 9 also has relation to the structure of Fig. 4.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary top elevation partly in section, of Fig. 9.

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section taken approximately on the line ll--H of Fig. 9.

Figure 12 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section taken approximately on the line I2-I2 of Fig. 10.

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken approximately on the line |3I3 of Fig. 11.

Figure 14 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation of certain of the gravity actuating mechanism, taken in the direction indicated by line I4- M of Fig. 2.

Figure 15 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken approximately on the line l5-l5 of Fig. 14.

Figure 16 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken approximately on the line l6-l6 of Fig. 14.

Figure 17 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation partly in section of part of the mechanism shown in the upper part of Fig. 2, for preventing bottles entering the machine to avoid jamming thereof, until a preceding grouped bottle row has been pushed from the bottle receiving slide into the loading compartment.

Figure 18 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken approximately on the line [8-48 of Fig. 17.

Figure 19 i an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken approximately on the line lQ-I 9 of Fi 18.

Figure 20 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken approximately on the line 26- 20 of Fig. 18.

Figure 21 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical 3 sectional elevation taken approximately on the line 2l2l of Fig.1.

Figure 22 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional elevation taken approximately on the line 2222 of Fig. 21.

Figure 23 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional elevation taken approximately on the line 2323 of Fig. 21.

Figure 24 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional elevation taken approximately on the line 24-44 of Fig. 22.

Figure 25 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the looped end of the Windlass weight winding tape, and particularly relates to Figs. 1, 2, 21 and 23.

Figure 26 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional elevation taken approximately on the line 2626 of Fig. 1.

Figure 27 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical elevation taken approximately on the line 2l'2l of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings as designates the frame of the packaging machine or packer which supports a bottle loading compartment 3! which is located adjacent the upper end of the frame, and disposed on one side of said compartment is a horizontal slide 32 having communication at one end with a bottle conveyor 33 leading from a bottling machine or the like, not shown. (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4.)

Longitudinal partitions 34'. are disposed in the compartment 3| (Fig. for providing six bottle stalls 35 therein for receiving bottle row groups of six bottles each as they are intermittently pushed from the slide 32 by the pusher plate 35. (Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 9.)

Each stall 35 is of a length to contain four upstanding bottles and each having a longitudinal trap-door 31 as a bottom wall therefor in horizontal alignment with the slide 32, and disposed beneath the compartment 3| and the trap-doors 37 thereof, is a grill 38 having a plurality of depending leaf springs 39 for relieving the falling weight of the bottles as they are released by the trap-doors after the compartment 3-l has been filled with twenty-four bottles by four intermittent pushing operations of the pusher plate 36. (Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.)

For receiving the falling bottles from the compartment 3|, a carton A is secured directly beneath the grill 38 by a holder 40, said carton being placed in bottle receiving position by a carton rack 4!, which is vertically slidable in the frame 39 by operation of a counterbalanced bar 42 which is pivotally mounted at 43, said carton rack being connected to the bar 42 by a link 44, the opposite end of said bar having a weight 45 thereon for counterbalancing the descending bottle filled carton A and the carton rack 4|.

The counterbalanced bar .2 in addition to elevating the carton for securance with the holder 4:: and permitting lowering of the bottle filled carton also causes the filled carton to be engaged by mechanism for discharging the carton from the carton rack, upon said rack being lowered, to a position whereby the lowering weight of the filled carton will engage a pair of rollers 46 of a discharging element l! which will project through the open-work of the rack when the rack has reached a lowered position such as shown in Fig. 1, said rollers 46 being pressed downward by the weight of the filled carton thereby causing the rollers 48 of the element 4'! to engage and push against a side wall of the carton for discharging it from the rack.

During lowering of the bottle filled carton A a pin 49 projected from a horizontally inclined shaft Ell is normally engaged in the looped end 5! of a metal strap 52 for engaging the lower end 53 of said looped end (Fig. 25), and inasmuch as the ends of the shaft 50 are supported in respective bearings 54 and 55, carried by the counterbalanced bar 42 (Fig. 21), the descending end of said bar will exert a downward pull on the strap 52, and as said strap is secured on its upper end at 58 to. the periphery of a drum 51 forming part of a Windlass 58 mounted on a shaft 59, said strap 52 will consequently be unwound from the drum 5! thereby turning it and at the same time a cable 60 which is secured to the periphery of the drum SI of the Windlass 58 (Figs. 2, 3, 14 and 15), will elevate the weight 62 which is fastened to the depending end of said cable thereby positioning the weight 62 in readiness for operating the Windlass 58 for cooperation with mechanisms relating to the next loading of bottles into the compartment 3i from the conveyor 33 hereinafter described.

The pusher plate 36 is fastened to one end of a horizontally extending member (53 which is secured to a horizontal cross member 64 of a pair of vertical members 55 which are each pivotally secured at their lower ends at 56 to the frame 321, said parts 63 to 66 inclusive providing a swingable frame -51 to which a trip-lever support 63 is secured at the upper end thereof, said support bearing the triplevers numbered 69, 10, H

r and '52, for cooperation with respective pusher arms l3, l4, l5 and 16 which are radially extended from the drum 5'! of the Windlass 58. (Figs. 2, 14 and 16.)

Radially projected from the drum 6! are four releasing fingers ll, 18, I9 and (Figs. 2, 3, 9, 10, 14 and 15), each of said fingers in turn being cooperable with one end 8| of a horizontally disposed lever 82 which is pivoted at 83 to a part of the frame 30, said lever being actuated in one direction by a spring 84 and for cooperation with the end 85 of said lever is a stop 86 forming part of a lever 81 which is pivoted at 88 to a part of the frame 30.

The lever 81 is horizontally inclined and has its free end secured to a pin 89 which is vertically projected from a bolt 90 which is horizontally slidable adjacent its ends in the parts SI and 92 of the frame 30, and there being a coil spring 93 connected to the part 92 and the lever 31. (Figs. 3, 9, 10 and 11.)

The lever 81 adjacent its free end is provided with an extension 94 which cooperates with the upper end of a vertically disposed lever 95 pivoted at 96 to the frame 30, and said lever adjacent its pivot having a right-angular portion 91 which normally underengages an end part 98 of a locking lever 99, which is pivoted at I00 to a bracket ml, said lever 99 having an undercut recess H22 which normally engages the ,upper portion of a vertical bottle guiding strip I03 which parallels one side of the slide 32, longitudinally of the bottle loading compartment 3|.

The guiding strip I03 has end disposed axes HM, one only being shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 and which is supported in a bracket I05 and secured on said axis 104 is one end of an upwardly inclining link I05 and connected to said link is one end of a pull rod I81, slidably in a bearing lll'la and having an extending bent part M8 on its opposite end for cooperation with the upper end of a trip member I09 pivoted at IIII to the swingable frame 61 and said member I09 being cooperable with a stop pin III at its lower end.

The portion 91 of the lever 95 elevates the end 98 of the lever 99 for releasing the bottle strip As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the carton rack 4| is in its lowered position by reason of the counterbalanced bar 42' having the end thereof to which the link 44 is attached, being lowered, said bar being held in this position by the locking part I I2 of a shaft II3 to which one end of a spring actuated foot lever H4 is attached, said locking part III2 overengaging a bracket II5 which is fastened to the end II6 of the bar 42. (Figs. 21, 22 and 24.) Also, and as shown in said Figs. 1 and 2, the weight 62 attached to the lower end of the cable 60, was elevated by reason of the cable 69 having been wound on the drum 6| of the windlass 58 by the strap 52 during the descending of the end I I6 of the counterbalanced bar 42 by the descending weight of the filled carton A on the rack 4|.

I n operation An empty carton A is mounted on the lowered rack 4| and the foot lever I I4 is engaged to release the locking part II2 of said lever from engagement with the bracket I I5 and the weight 45 of said bar 42 will cause said bar to swing on its pivot mounting 43 as the weighted end thereof descends thereby elevating the end H6 of said bar and the carton rack to the position indicated in Fig. 3 so that the upper end of the carton A will engage the holder 48. (Fig. 4.) In this position the carton is in readiness to receive the full complement of bottles which may have been loaded in the compartment 3|.

Release of the trap doors 3? of the bottles loading omp m n 31 for discharge of the bottles into the carton During elevating of the carton rack 4|, as it' secured at I22 to a lever I23 which is pivoted at I24 to a part I25 extending from the frame 30, said lever having its free end extending into the lower part of the frame 39 for cooperation with a part I26 extended from the end IIB of the counterbalanced bar 42. (Figs. 1, 3, 21, 26 and 27.)

The upper end of the push rod M9 is connected at I21 to the upper end of a link I28 which is pivoted at I29 to a bracket I39 of the frame 30 and also connected at I21 to the link I28 is a horizontally inclined link I3I, said link I3I at its opposite end being pivotally connected at I32 to a horizontal member I33 which extends the approximate length of the loading compartment 3| and is slidably supported in brackets I34 (Figs. 4, 6, '7 and 8), said member I33 having a series of evenly spaced upwardly projecting lugs I35 for cooperation with respective legs I36 which are depended from respective horizontal shaft lengths I31 supported in respective bearings I38 which are secured to and are upwardly extended from a horizontally disposed angle member I39.

Each shaft length I31 is secured to at I40 and extended from an end of a respective trap door 31 of respective bottle stalls 35, the opposite end of each trap door having a shaft length MI 6 secured to and extending therefrom and being supported in respective bearings I42, said shaft lengths I31 and MI of each trap door being in axial alignment.

Pivoted at I43 to the end wall I44 of the compartment 3| are a series of depending fingers I45 each having a horizontally extending projection I46 on its lower end for underengagement with respective trap doors 3! and in addition each finger has a horizontally projected pin |4'| intermediate its length for projecting through respective openings I48 in the end wall I44 of the compartment 3 I, there being a finger I45 for cooperation with the respective trap doors. (Figs. 4 and 5.)

Owing to the part I26 on the end H6 of the bar 42 engaging the extending end of the lever I23 to which the push rod I I9 is attached by the link I2 I, the horizontal member I33 with which the upper end of the push rod I I9 is cooperable by the links I28 and I3I, 533 will be held in position whereby the lugs I35 thereof will be in looking engagement against respective legs I36 relating to respective trap doors 3?, therefore, the full complement of bottles, if any in the compartment 3|, can not be discharged therefrom until the lugs I35 on the horizontal member I33 are disengaged from the legs I36 by sliding actuation of the member I33, effected by the projection III of the carton rack 4| engaging the pin II8 of the push rod II9 for actuating the links I28 and I3I to slide the member I33 for disengagement of the lugs I35 from respective legs I36.

Each of the shaft lengths I3'I of respective trap doors 31 is provided with a counterweight I 49. For swinging the trap doors 31 back into closing position in respect to the compartment 3|, after the bottles have been gravity discharged from said compartment, and during while the bottle loaded carton A is descending to a position for discharge from the packer by actuation of the discharging element 41 against the loaded carton and simultaneously with the carton rack 4| reaching the end of its downward travel, the extending end of the lever 123 will be depressed by the part I26 on the end I I6 of the bar 42.

This depression of the lever I23 asserts a downward pull on the push rod 9 whereby said rod will return the member I33 bearing the lugs I35 to its locking position by actuation of the links I28 and I 3| with which the upper end of the rod I I9 is cooperable, thereby holding the lugs I35 in securing abutment against the legs I36 of respective trap doors 31 for holding them in closed positions in readiness for another carton complement of bottles to be loaded into the compartment 3|.

Bottle loading of the compartment 31 The slide 32 which parallels the loading compartment 3| is of a length to contain six bottles as they are fed from the conveyor 33, said six bottle group to be pushed into the loading compartment 3| by the pusher plate 36, and to prevent bottle jamming or crowding of bottles during the short time period required for the pusher plate 36 to operate, a cut-off blade I58, having its forward end slidable in the vertical bottle guide support I 5| actuated by parts borne by the swingable frame El of the pusher plate 36 is provided, for insertion between a pair of adjacent bottles of the bottle row. The rear end of the blade I59 is slidably in a slot I52a in a plate I52 borne by the frame 67 and having a notch I53 on its lower edge for cooperation with the lower edge I54 of said slot and mounted in a bracket I55, Fixedto the frame 30 by a support I56 is a horizontal crank I-I having end disposed crank throws I58 and I59, the crank throw I58 being adapted to engage the lower edge of the blade I50 adjacent the; notch I53. thereof and the crank throw I59 extending upwardly for releasable engagement with an opening I 60 at one end of a locking strip MI. fixed to the frame 61. (Figs. 2, 17, 18, 1'9 and 0.)

Assuming: that the Windlass 58 has been wound or operated whereby the weight 62 is in elevated position. and the conveyor 33 has fed a group of six bottles onto: the slide 32, the first bottle of the group will engage and push the bolt 90 (Figs. 2-,, 9:, L0 and 11') and as the free end of the lever 81 is mounted on the pin 89 which is projected from: said bolt, said lever will move outwardly on its: pivot 88 and the stop 86 of said lever will be released from the end 85 of the lever 82 thereby releasing the finger H of the drum SI of the windlass 58,-. (Figs. 14 and 15) and as said drum is turned in the direction of the arrow I62 shown in Figs. 15- and 16, the shaft 59 of the- Windlass 58 (Fig; 16) will also turn the drum 5! and the roller I63 on the extending end of the arm I3 which is radially projected from said drum will push against the upper end of the trip lever 69 of the support 68 on the frame 61, thereby swinging said frame. on its pivots 66 and the plate 36 of said framewill push the six bottles from the slide 32 into the: loading compartment 3| whereby each bottle will be engaged in a respective stall 35 of said compartment.

Simultaneous. with the frame 61 swinging forwardly in pushing the six bottle group into the compartment 3|, the. blade I was released from the edge I54 of the plate I52 by the crank throw I159 of the crank I51 being pulled by the. locking strip I16'I of the frame 61, thus swingingthe crank throw I58 upwardly against the rear end of the blade I50; whereby the notch I 53 of the blade is disengaged'from the edge I54 of the plate I52, and allowing the spring I64 to pull the blade into inserted position between a pair of adjacent bottles of the conveyor fed bottle group.

Also, the. lever 8.1 when moved outward, will cause its extension 94 to swing the lever 95, thus elevating-the end' part 98 of the lever 99 and: re-

leasing'the'strip. I03 from the recess I02. thereof,

so that itcan fallinto. sliding alignment with the slide: 32.

After the plate 36 of the frame 61; haspushed the entrained bottle row into the compartment 3.I, it. is returned to its neutral position by a retraotile spring I65. which is secured at one end to a cross member I66 of the frame 30 and at its other end to the trip lever support 68 ofv the said frameGI. (Figs. 2, 3 and 14.)

During, the bottle pushing operation of the frame 61, upon the finger I1 being released by actuation of the lever 82, the drum 6I of the Windlass 58 from which the finger I1 is extended was turned by the weighted pull on the cable 60 a distance whereby the following finger I8 was moved into stopping engagement with the end 8| of said lever. Owing to the retractile spring 93 whichis connected at one end to the lever 81 and at its other end to the part 92 of the frame 30, returning said lever to its neutral position as well as the bolt 99, the stop 86 of the lever 8! will hold the lever 82 against being swung by the finger I8 and immediately after the release of the blade I50 from the conveyor bottle row, another 8 group (second group) of six bottles is fed onto the slide 32.

The: first bottle of the second group of six. bottles fed onto the slide 32, upon engaging and pushing the bolt 98 will operate the lever 61 to permit release of the finger I8 to allow turning of the Windlass 58v so that the roller I63 of the second pusher arm I4 can engage the trip lever III of the support 68 to swingthe frame 61 and cause the plate 35 to push the bottles of the second bottle row group into respective stalls: 35- of the loading compartment 3I, said second bottle groupengaging and pushing the first bottle group into further position in said loading compartment.

To: prevent tipping of the first bottle group as it is being pushed further into the compartment 3I by the second bottle group, a roller 68 is mounted on the lower end of a pair of inclined tracks I69 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) for holding back engagement with the bottle necks of the first bottle group..-

In this illustration of the invention, the carton A is adapted to hold a complement of twenty-four bottles arranged in six bottle rows, therefore, following the loading of the first and second bottle rows into the loading compartment 31, the third bottle row is fedv into the slide 32', and subsequently pushed into related stalls of the compartment by the roller I63. of the arm I5 by swinging operation of the frame 61, said arm I5. being projected from the drum 51 of the Windlass 58' and bearing against and pushing the trip. lever II for feeding the third bottle row group. into the loading compartment, after the finger. 19' of the Windlass 58 is released from the lever:

by actuation of the lever 81 when pushed by the bolt 90.

Ihe loading of the fourth bottle row into the compartment is effected by the roller I63: of the arm. 16 of' they Windlass 58', bearingv and pushing against its related trip lever 12' after the finger 8.0 of the Windlass is released from the lever 85 by actuation of the lever 81 and related parts aforesaid.

The feeding of the fourth bottle row into the compartment 3 I, pushed the preceding. third bottle row further into said compartment thereby causing the bottles of the first row to push against the pins I41 of the respective fingers. I45-thereby disengaging respective projections I46 from underengagement with respective trap doors 31 after bottle loading the compartment, but the trap doors will not be swung open on account of the lugs I35 of the member I33 being in locked.

engagement with the legs I36 of respective trap doors.

However, when. the rack 4I with the carton A thereon is in elevated position whereby the carton is in proximity with the holder 40 beneath the compartment 3I, the rod. II9 will have been pushed upwardly by the projection II! of said rack and the member I33. bearing the lugs I35 will be in unlocked position with respect to the trap doors 31, and the loaded weight of the bottles will open the trap doors as they fall by gravity there-through and into the carton A, due to the projections I46 of the fingers I45 having been released from underengagement with the trap doors.

Immediately upon the bottles falling through the opened trap doors 3! saiddoors will be swung, to closed positions by the respective counterweights I49 on the shafts I3! of said doors, and simultaneously therewith the respective projections I46 of the gravity actuated fingers I45 will automatically underengage respective doors 31 for holding them in closed positions during while the lugs I of the member I33 are released from looking engagement with respective legs I36 of said doors, said lug member I33 also being held in unlocked position by the retractile spring I61 until the loaded carton rack 4| has reached the lower end of its travel whereby the part I26 on the end H6 of the counterbalanced bar 42 will engage and depress the free end of the lever I23 for downwardly pulling the push rod II9 to slide the member I33 for positioning the lugs I35 in looking engagement with respective legs I36 of respective closed trap doors I31. The purpose for the depending gravity actuated fingers I is to hold the doors 31 closed for receiving bottles from the slide 32 in the event of a row or more of bottles being pushed into the loading compartment 3|, during while the lug member I33 is in retracted position with respect to the legs I36 of said doors.

After each pushing operation of the plate 36 of the swingable frame 61 on each bottle row group, said frame on its return swing will cause the blade I to be withdrawn from bottle group separating engagement with the bottle row on the conveyor 93. This is accomplished by the opening I69 of the locking strip I6I borne by the frame 61 overengaging the crank throw I59 of the'crank I51, thus returning said crank and its crank throws |58|,59 to neutral position whereby the crank throw I 53 will permit the rear of the blade I56 to be lowered so that the edge I54 of the plate I52 will be engaged by the notch I53 of said blade, for withdrawing the blade from bottle separating engagement.

After each four bottle row group pushing operations has been accomplished for loading the compartment 3| and/or the carton A with twentyfour bottles, the gravity turned Windlass 58 has become unwound with respect to the cable on the drum 6| thereof whereby the weight 62 is in its lowered position, and during while the weight 62 was intermittently descending, the strap 52 was being wound on the drum 51 and the looped end 5| of said strap was consequently raised to its uppermost position in readiness for the pin 49 of the shaft 59 on the end 6 of the counterbalanced bar 42, to be engaged therein against the end or seat 53 of said looped end 5|, while the end I I6 of the bar 42 is elevated and retained in this position by the Weight 45 of said bar overbalancing the rack 4| and the carton A thereon. On the last descending impulse of the weight 62 on the fourth operating cycle of the frame 61 in completing bottle filling of the compartment 3|, the bottle filled compartment will overbalance the weight 45 of the bar 42 thereby descending the end N6 of said bar, and the pin 49 of the shaft 56 of said bar will pull the looped end 5| of the strap 52 downward thereby rewinding the cable 60 on the drum 6| of the Windlass 58, thus elevating the weight 62 and winding the Windlass ready for the next bottle loading of the compartment 3I.

As the end N6 of the bar 42 nears the end of its downward swing, and before said end comes to rest on the crossbar I10 of the frame 30 (Figs. 21 and 22), the pin 49 is released from the seat 53 of the looped end 5I of the strap 52 by the pulling effort of the strap on the pin 49 during winding of the cable 60 of the weight 62 on the windlass 58, after the latch |1I on the bar 42 has been disengaged from the leg I12 of the shaft 50, the pulling effort of the strap on the pin 49 rocking said shaft against the tension of the spring I13, connected to the leg I12 and the bar 42, and upwardly inclining the pin 49 to the dotted position shown in Fig. 23, thus releasing said strap from 'said pin whereby the Windlass will be held from operating by the finger 11 of the drum 51 being held in engagement with the end 6| of the lever 82, until released by the next bottle row fed onto the slide 32, in repeated compartment loadings.

Immediately after the pin 49 has been disengaged from the seat 53 of the looped end 5| of the strap 52, the spring I13 of the leg I12 will rock the shaft 55 to its neutral position, and as the end I I6 of the bar 42 continues downwardly to rest on the cross bar I'IIl, the pin 49 will be projected into the guideway I14 depending from the looped end 5I of said strap.

During downward swinging of the end 6 of the bar 42, the latch i'II pivoted at I15 to a bracket I16 fastened to the bar 42, is in engagement with the extending end of the leg I12 for preventing the pulling effort of the strap 52 on the pin 49, rocking the shaft 59, whereby the pin 49 would be untimely released from said strap, but as the end II6 of the bar 42 nears the end of its downward travel, the counterbalanced end I11 of said latch will engage the bent part I18 of a post I19, fixed to the cross bar I19 and be rocked thereby for releasing the latch from contact with the leg I12 of the shaft 59, so that said shaft can be rocked for releasing the pin 49 from the strap 52.

On the upward swing of the end I I6 of the bar 42, the latch |1I will swing by gravity into looking engagement with the leg I12 of the shaft 56 against the stop pin I12a, with the end I11 thereof resting on the pin I of the bar 42.

The looped end 5| of the strap 52 is guided by and between a pair of horizontal projections I8I fastened to the bar 42 and an arm I82 horizontally projected from the upper end of a lever I63, pivoted at I84, to a brace I85 of the frame 30, said arm I82 yieldingly bearing against the guideway I14 of the strap 52 by the tension of the spring I86, for maintaining fitting engagement with said guideway and the guideway I81 of said strap which is extended upwardly from the looped end 5I thereof. (Figs. 21 and 23.)

When the end 6 of the bar 42 ascends, the shaft 59 is held with the pin 49 horizontally projected therefrom by the latch I'II bearing against the end of the leg I12 of said shaft, therefore, as the pin 49 on being carried upwardly reached the end of the guideway I14 of the strap 52, said pin will be directed into the looped end 5| of said strap and into the guideway I81 thereof by the deflecting strap flange I68, ready for engagement with the seat 53 of the looped end 5|, when the end II6 of the bar 42 is swung down by the weight of a bottle filled carton on therack 4 I.

Pushing operating cycles of the frame 61 begin upon release of the strap 52 from the pin 49, while the end II6 of the bar 42 is held down by r the part III! of the foot lever I|4 engaging the bracket I I5, carried by the end I I 6 of the bar 42, during replacement of a carton on the rack 4| after the loaded carton A has been discharged from the rack by actuation of the element 41 thereagainst.

Upon release of said bar 42 by operating the foot lever II4, the weight 45 of the said bar will swing the end 6 upwardly for positioning the replaced carton on the rack 4! in securance with the holder 40, beneath the loading compartment 11 3|, ready for receiving the bottles loaded into the compartment, while the rack 4| was in lowered position.

After the fourth bottle loading operation of the machine and the end N6 of the bar 42 is swinging down for discharging the bottle filled carton and for replacement of an empty carton on the rack, said bar by the pin 49 will unwind the strap 52 while winding the weight 62 to gravity operating position, and simultaneously therewith, the Windlass 58 will be turned to starting position. In this connection retrograde turning of the Windlass with respect to the releasing fingers and the pusher arms, each of the fingers ll, 78, T9 and 80 in turn, upon engaging the beveled end ill of the lever 82, will tilt said lever downwardly on its pivot 83 thereby permitting the fingers to be returned to neutral positions. (Figs. 10 and 15.) The pusher arms l3, I4, and 16 upon being returned to neutral positions will each engage its respective trip lever 69, 10, H and i2 and idly swing in on its pivot I89, (Fig. 16).

Each of the trip levers are longer in length below their respective pivots I89 so that they will gravitate to vertically inclining positions against respective stops I90 in the trip lever support 68 of the frame Bl, said stops also serving to hold the trip levers in their vertically inclining positions for pushing cooperation with the pusher arms, during loading operations of the frame 61. Upon each return swing of the frame 67, the upper end of the trip member I09 carried thereby will engage and insert a pull on the bent part 108 of the rod 07, to actuate the link I05, for returning the strip I03 to vertical position'for locking engagement with the recess I02 of the lever 99.

From the afore description of this improved packaging machine, it is apparent that when the gravity operating weight 62 is uppermost, turning of the Windlass 58 thereby is intermittently withheld by the lever 82 engaging and holding respective releasing fingers and their relatable pusher arms. However, the first bottle of each row fed onto the slide 32, upon moving the bolt 90, will in turn cause release of respective fingers from the lever 82, thereby allowing the Windlass to function to swing the frame 61 by respective pusher arms engaging relatable trip levers, for pushing respective bottle rows into the loading compartment 3 I.

Owing to the machine being gravity operated, it is obvious that accident hazard is lessened by reason of the mechanism being counterbalanced,

and in consequence, any inadvertent hand protrusion or the like by the operator, would merely stop the mechanism Without injury.

What I claim is:

1. A packaging machine for receiving articles to be packaged, comprising a conveyor cooperable to feed the articles in a traveling row into the machine adjacent a loading compartment therein; gravity actuated means for pushing the article row into said compartment; unlocking means for said gravity actuated means, actuated by the leading article of said article row; restoring means for said gravity actuated means; a series of trap doors forming a bottom wall for said compartment; locking means for said trap doors; releasable means for said locking means; a vertically reciprocable rack beneath said compartment having a cartonremoveably mounted thereon for receiving articles discharged from said compartment when the trap doors thereof are opened; means comprising a counterbalanced 12 bar for reciprocating said rack; and means actuated by said rack for operating the releasable means of said trap door unlocking means.

2. A machine for packaging articles which are conveyor fed in rows thereto; said machine having a receiving compartment with a bottom wall of releasable trap doors and locking means therefor; a carton holding rack vertically reciprocable beneath said compartment; a counterbalanced bar cooperable with said rack; swingable means for pushing the articles in rows into the compartment as they are conveyor fed into the machine; intermittent gravity actuated means impellingly cooperable with said swingable means; releasable means for said gravity actuated means, actuated by the leading article of each article row; restoring means for said gravity actuated means cooperable with said bar; and means cooperable with said rack for unlocking said trap doors for gravity discharge of the articles loaded into. said compartment, into the carton on said rack, when said rack is elevated.

3. A machine for packaging articles which are conveyor fed in rows thereto; said machine having a receiving compartment with a bottom wall of releasable trap doors and locking means therefor, a carton holding rack vertically reciprocable beneath said compartment; a counterbalanced bar cooperable with said rack; swingable means for pushing the articles in rows into the compartment as they are conveyor fed into the machine; intermittent gravity actuated rotary means impellingly cooperable with said swingable means; releasable means for said gravity actuated means, actuated by the leading article of each article row; restoring means for said gravity actuated means cooperable with said bar; and means cooperable with said rack for unlocking said trap doors for gravity discharge of the articles loaded into said compartment, into the carton on said rack, when said rack is elevated.

4. A machine for packaging articles which are conveyor fed thereto; said machine having a receiving compartment with a releasable bottom wall of a series. of trap doors; a carton holding rack vertically reciprocable beneath said compartment; a counterbalanced bar to which said rack is secured on one end; means for pushing the articles in rows into the compartment as they are conveyor fed into the machine; a gravity actuated Windlass having means for intermittent impelling cooperation with said pushing means, actuated by the leading article of: each article row; rewinding means for said Windlass having detachable connection with said bar; and means cooperable with said rack for releasing the trap doors of saidcompartment for gravity discharge of the articles loaded into saidcompartment, into the carton on said rack, when said rack is elevated by said bar.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,247,722 Rogers et a1 Nov. 27, 1917 1,568,082 Mitton Jan. 5, 1926 1,611,822 Dulche Dec. 21, 1926 2,219,827 Kimball et al Oct. 29, 1940 2,252,127 Kimball Aug. 12,1941 2,358,447 Creamer Sept. 19, 1944 2,400,484 Campana May 21, 1946 2,556,082 Hartness June 5, 1951 

